Monsters
by Marymel
Summary: Greg comforts Jackson after a bad dream and thinks about the team's case. No real spoilers for Consumed.


**Jackson is my original character, but I don't own CSI.**

**No real spoilers for 14x20, "Consumed." And please read and review my last story, "Visiting Officer Mitchell." It takes place after The Fallen, and I enjoyed writing it.**

**The episode "Consumed" really made me squirm! So I wondered how Greg might comfort or be comforted by Jackson after the events of the case. So here's what I came up with. Hope you all enjoy...and please review!**

There are some cases, no matter how hard he wanted to leave them at the lab, Greg Sanders couldn't forget. After the case of a cannibalistic killer in Vegas, all he wanted to do was hold his son and protect him. But he couldn't stop thinking about the case the team just closed.

He sat at the edge of Jackson's bed, just watching him sleep. He wondered what his son was dreaming about - if he was slaying dragons at a faraway castle, or riding horses with his Uncle Nicky, or just spending the day with his father.

Jackson tossed about and started crying, and Greg knew his son was having a nightmare. Gently, Greg rubbed his son's shoulder to wake him. "Jacks," he whispered. "It's okay, wake up."

The little boy's eyes opened and he looked up at his father. "Daddy?"

Greg smiled warmly. "Yeah. I'm right here, Jacks."

Jackson sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Daddy, I had a bad dream."

"Aw," Greg said as he pulled Jackson onto his lap. "What did you dream?"

"I was far 'way," Jackson said as he rubbed his eyes. "An' I didn't know where you were. An' dere was a big monster, but he wasn't dat scary."

Greg smiled softly as he comforted his son. "Did the big monster help you?"

"Uh-huh. I told him dat I needed to find my daddy, an' he say he help me."

"That's good," Greg said as he rubbed Jackson's back.

Jackson squirmed and looked up at his father. "But den it started raining. An' I heard da funder go boom. An' it got dark an' scary. An' I fought you weren't dere!"

"Oh," Greg said as he hugged his son. "I'm here. I'm right here with you."

Jackson smiled. "I glad you here, daddy. I love you."

"I love you," Greg said as he cradled Jackson. He smiled when he saw Jackson hugging his teddy bear. "Did Cubby help you and the monster?"

"Yeah. First Cubby was scared, but da monster say he don't need to be. He was nice, like da ones on Sesame Street."

"Oh, that's cool."

"Yeah...but den I couldn't find you. An' I was scared of da storm."

Greg kissed Jackson's forehead. "You don't have to be scared, Jacks. I'm right here. And you know what?"

Jackson shook his head. "What?"

"If you ever do get lost, I will never stop loving you and I'll never give up until I find you."

"Never ever?"

"Never ever," Greg said with certainty. "I love you."

Jackson smiled. "I love you, daddy!"

Greg smiled as he hugged his son. He truly never knew he could love anyone as much as the sweet, beautiful boy in his arms.

Jackson pulled away and smiled at his father. "I glad we both here, daddy. An' Cubby's happy, too."

"He is?"

"Uh-huh." Jackson held up his teddy bear. "He liked da monster, but he likes being home wif us more. I do too."

"I like being here with you and Cubby. I love you way more than you'll ever know, Jacks."

Jackson's eyes widened slightly. "Way more?"

"Way more," Greg said honestly.

"Even more dan toy cars, chocolate milk an' peanut butter wif bananas?"

Greg smiled softly. "Way more than all those things and more. You are the most important thing to me. And if a monster or anything scares you, I'll always be there."

Jackson smiled widely. "I love you, daddy!"

"I love you, Jacks."

As Greg tucked Jackson back in bed, the little boy smiled up at his father. "Daddy, da monster in my dream was nice."

"Yeah, you told me that. But not all monsters are nice."

"I know," Jackson said with a yawn. "But I can find you if I find a scary one. An' if you find a scary one, you can come to me!"

Greg smiled. "I can, huh?"

"Uh-huh, cause Cubby an' I protect you, too."

"I love you, Jacks," Greg whispered as he kissed Jackson's cheek.

Greg smiled warmly as his son drifted back to sleep. Knowing Jackson was there and loved him made Greg feel blessed. He knew he couldn't protect Jackson from ever getting hurt all the time, but he knew he'd always fight for his son. And he would never stop protecting him from the bad monsters in the world.

**The End.**


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